NÀDAIR THIRIODH – TIREE RANGER SERVICE

How quickly a month passes by as Tiree Ranger and a busy one it has been.

The Tiree Wave Kite Masters was a huge success, but I must say a personal thanks to the BKSA organisers of the event who were in touch beforehand for information on protecting the local environment and ensuring their competitors parked responsibly.

As I write the Wave Classic is taking place and again the organisers have been very pro-active in working with me to ensure minimal impact on the machair and that the competitors behave responsibly. Unfortunately there is some bad news. Anti-social behaviour and littering has been occurring in and around the public bird hide next to the Scottish Water pumping station at Loch a’ Phuill. Together with PC Steph Tanner, we will be keeping an eye on this and urge all users of the hide to be vigilant and to tidy up after themselves – many thanks.

On a positive note another couple of guided walks have taken place and have been well attended. I have stopped these now for the winter period, but look forward to starting them again next spring.

The Tiree Ranger Service has now registered with Scottish Countryside Rangers Association. This nationally recognised organisation helps to develop and enhance Ranger services across Scotland and helps Rangers promote the enjoyment, understanding and care of Scotland’s outdoors.

Equal/Disabled Access Group/Forum

I have not yet had anybody express an interest in joining this group/forum so I am asking again. If you are not interested in joining a group, but would prefer to discuss “equal access” on a one to one basis instead, then that would be great as well. I have managed to speak directly with two visiting carers looking after a disabled person and they have given me some good simple ideas on improving access for disabled people. They also stated that they think Tiree is very good for catering for disabled people in comparison to other remote/rural places they have visited.

To re-iterate from my last article, following a number of ideas and requests for help suggested to TRD over the past two years, as part of the Tiree Ranger project, we have obtained some funding to establish and support an “Equal/Disabled Access Group”. This group with the help of the Ranger would map locations (e.g. beaches and other areas of interest) that are accessible/not accessible to disabled people, or those with limited mobility and perhaps also for pushchair users and publish this on the Isle of Tiree website to assist visitors. Once this is done, the intention would be to work with the group to look at how access to difficult to reach locations could be improved and see how these changes could be funded.

If you would be interested in joining or participating in this Equal/Disabled Access Group please contact me on 07765449487 or email me on accesstrd@tireebroadband.com or just stop me and have a word if you see me out and about.